We've mulled other what seems like thousands of concepts pertaining to the so-called Apple iWatch, and even though designers and fans of the idea have been tripping over themselves to put a face to the name, we're still none the wiser as to what the fruit company has in its plans. Today, designer Gábor Balogh has come through with a rather interesting take on the iWatch, which sticks with the recognized form factor of a normal wristwatch while cramming in all of the digital niceties that appease us tech fans. Check it out after the break!
The Apple iPhone regularly tops the charts when it comes to overall customer satisfaction, and the desirability factor of the Cupertino's prized asset is showing no signs of wearing down. A new piece of research by a mobile insurance firm has discovered that not only are iPhones seemingly more robust in that they're less likely do be damaged than most competitors, but notably, are more likely to be stolen, with uncanny individuals clearly having a keener eye for the iPhone over some of the market's other high-end handsets.
Apple has, for a good while now, been looking to expand the reach, functionality and general usefulness of the Apple Store app. In short, the Cupertino company wants it to serve as the focal point of the consumer's Apple experience, and in order to help familiarize iOS users with the service, the company has been running a series of promotional giveaways. Going on the premise that everybody loves a freebie, we've already seen paid apps go free through the Apple Store app, and over the festive period, a special free playlist of tracks was compiled and distributed in the spirit of the occasion. Today, Apple is back with another free mixtape of sorts, pushing a three-song bundle out focusing on new artists for 2014.
The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), which recently struck a deal with Apple to begin the production of some of its device's hardware components, has reportedly gotten to work on the new A8 processing chip, which will power the upcoming iPhone 6 later on this year. The report, which has arrived courtesy of the Commercial Times in Taiwan, notes that the A8 SoC began production last month, and although we'd expect it to serve as the workhorse of the next Apple smartphone, it's also reasonable to speculate that the iPad range could also benefit from the upgraded chip at some point this fall.
When branching out of its own particular niche, Apple tends to cozy up to high-end manufacturers within the new industry it's trying to capture. Nike, for example, has been a key partner in the Cupertino's various fitness-related enterprises, and with CarPlay now at the fore, Apple marketing lead Greg Joswiak has been at the Geneva Motor Show discussing a tie-in with Italian supercar maker Ferrari. Joining Ferrari chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo on stage, the pair showcased CarPlay integration in the revamped four-seater Ferrari FF grand tourer.
With CarPlay having been demonstrated heavily by Apple and its auto partners over the past couple of days, we have more than a slight inkling that iOS 7.1 won't be too far away. After all, betas of the forthcoming release have served as virtually the sole source of information pertaining to the in-car flavor of iOS, and although the automobiles themselves won't be shipping just yet, it would make sense for Apple to begin distributing the necessary iOS updates as soon as feasibly possible. Previously, we'd heard that iOS 7.1 would hit the scene "mid-March," and now, as surmised by the folks of Daring Fireball, it could be set to make its début in the next few days.
We'd been hearing off-and-on about Apple's iOS in the Car since it was detailed at last year's WWDC. Today, the Cupertino officially unveiled it under the less wordy, more Apple CarPlay branding, and now, manufacturer Volvo has chimed in with a new video showcasing how the system looks and functions in practice. Check it out after the break!
In an official press release coming out of the Geneva International Motor Show Apple today announced that it is in the process of rolling out CarPlay. CarPlay is Apple's official new name for the iOS in the Car technology that we have been hearing so much about over the last twelve months, bringing a whole new way for users to interact with their iOS device in a motor vehicle.
Apple's 'iOS in the Car' initiative has been one of Apple's least publicized in a long while. First announced last year and then almost forgotten about immediately, it probably wouldn't be unfair to put it in the same category as the likes of Ping for monumental failures. That doesn't mean that Apple's car integration angle for iOS is a bad idea, it just means that it's taken considerably longer than we expected to see anything come to fruition.
Throughout 2013 and for the first few weeks of this year, Apple has been actively updating and improving the range of content available through Apple TV. The once-forgotten set-top has, it would seem, become a priority of Tim Cook's company after years in obscurity, and, incidentally, some time after Cook himself described the little black box as a mere "hobby." Nowadays, the future couldn't look brighter for the compact entertainment device, and right now, Apple is running a promotion offering $25 of iTunes credit with each new purchase through its Retail Stores as well as online, as pointed out first by 9to5Mac.
